Bringing Geography to the World Panel Session

Description:

Geographers have a wealth of knowledge that is potentially highly relevant to ongoing public debates, social and environmental policy-making, and management and planning decisions. Many geographers already engage in such public outreach or work closely with practitioners, but there are probably more who do not, and many who would like to, but don't exactly know how to do this most effectively and without major risk to their credibility and productivity as academics. The proposed session responds to the growing demand for geographic knowledge in the world of praxis (as expressed for example in Rediscovering Geography (1997) and the AAG's recent Strategic Plan (2003). If geographers are to do more public outreach and engagement, sophisticated capacity building is necessary to realize the hopes and visions of geographers as active participants in public debate. So what do geographers need? Is it available? And if not, can we build the capacity within the discipline - e.g., through ongoing graduate education, association-sponsored trainings, special leadership programs, or otherwise? How could such programs be financed? If we build it, will they come….?

Organizers: Susanne C. Moser

Chairs: Susanne C. Moser

Panelists: Susanne C. Moser, Gerald R. Webster, Richard A. Marston, Alyssa A Nelson, William G. Moseley, Deborah Popper, Sharon Moran, Alexander B. Murphy, Kirstin Dow

Sponsorships: Communication Geography Specialty Group, Human Dimensions of Global Change Specialty Group, Community College Affinity Group